Vorticella. Cilia create currents in the water to draw food into the Vorticella's huge anterior opening. Bits of ingested food are clearly visible. Because the cilia are constantly moving, they are blurred in the photo but still visible.

There are in excess of 100 species of Vorticella. Here is an image of a species that clearly shows all of the creature's internal parts and functions.

Another image of a Vorticella. The trailing stalk is faintly visible in this photo. See the picture along with a description of the Vorticella's unusual behavior.

An Actinosphaerium and a Colurella together. I watched the two of them bump into each other for several minutes and neither one seemed to be bothered by the other. Apparently they aren't part of each other's diet.

Worms and Fly Larvae

Any pond or pond filter will contain a variety of worms. Many of these wrigglers are the larvae of the many different kinds of flies and midges that hang around backyard ponds and ornamental waterfalls, while some are true aquatic worms. A few are visible, such as the bloodworms that we frequently see in our filter systems. Many, however, are microscopic. Click here to see the one worm that must be one of the ugliest and most repulsive in all of wormdom.

Amoebas are amorphous so they are seen in a variety of shapes and sizes. They also have developed a variety of ways to cope with the dangers of their environment. Click here to see an image of an Arcella, an Amoeba that has developed an unusual method of protection.

Here is another species of Shelled Amoeba. Unlike the Arcella in the previous image, this species clearly shows the gritty, granular composition of the domed shell.

Here is a composite picture of two Shelled Amoebas, both taken from the same water drop. Note the differences in the shell composition, and the evidence of some structural failure on one of them. Click here.

Click here to see an Amoeba the way we always imagined one would look - like an amorphous, protoplasmic "splat".

Here are two images of another naked amoeba, probably an Amoeba proteus, taken just a few seconds apart.

Here is a closer view of the same Amoeba that appears in the previous image.

Multicelled Microlife

A common species of Rotifer. Rotifers can be found wherever there is water or moisture - ponds, puddles, damp ground or mosses. They are included in the small-sized group of pond critters, but are easily seen even under low power. There are many varieties and their varied methods of locomotion are interesting to observe. They are usually found on the pond bottom.

Another good place to look for Rotifers is the outdoor bird bath, preferably one that hasn't been cleaned in a week or so. Click here to see a colony of them.

Here is an unusually detailed and clear image of another species of Rotifer. Click here.

Water Mites can be difficult to identify because they are so abundant and varied in appearance. This critter was originally mis-identified as a water mite but in fact is a Cyclops, quite common as both a marine and freshwater species. Click to find out more about these interesting creatures.

Click here for an image of a true water Water Mite, and some additional information about microanimals.

Gastrotrichs are frequent vistors to any backyard pond. They, too, are members of the multicellular Animal Kingdom.

Here is a pic of a microbe from a group of creatures that includes at least four families, thirty genera and numerous species.
Have a look.

Algae, or Green Protists

Here is an image of what appears to be algae, but really isn't. I included it here because it is readily known by its common name - Blue/Green Algae.

Here is another image of a Blue/Green Algae - likewise, not an algae but one of the many species of Cyanobacteria.

Here is an image of a cluster of Diatoms. They aren't green protists but I've included them here because they are often found in areas where algae is also found.

This image is from the same salt water tank showing several other types of Diatoms. This image was taken at the same magnification as the previous one so the relative sizes can be compared. These were squeezed from the sponge filter. Note the perfect symmetry of the specimens as well as the interesting coloration of the Diatom in the upper right of the image.

Animal, Vegetable or Mineral? The Unidentifieds

This creature, for the moment, is unidentified. It's about 1,000 microns in size, and I found dozens in a container of pond water that I allowed to become stagnant and polluted.

This specimen is large, at least 1,000 microns across, perhaps larger. It was an "unidentified" for quite some time until I was sent a photograph of its twin brother by someone visiting my site. It's a Bryozoa. There is an extensive fossil record of these multicelled critters. They are found in both fresh and sea water and they feed through cilia that cover their bodies. It's an interesting specimen under the microscope.